The next day had Wyatt and the others standing outside the AV Club’s room. The dance was scheduled for that evening, so they needed to make their move, and quickly. Which would be made harder by the rogue Dai-Shocker member they knew nothing about. Shaking his head, Wyatt cleared out the errant thoughts. He just needed to tackle his tasks one step at a time.
“Everyone got their part locked down?” he questioned, looking between them. “We’ll only get one shot at this.”
“Ready as I can be,” Twilight replied, adjusting the bow on her shirt. “We did double and triple check the plan. All that’s left is to execute it.” The brave face she had shown Wyatt the previous night was threatening to fade away. One look at Wyatt and her friends and she built it back up. This was her first official task as a princess and nothing was going to stop her. Not even Dai-Shocker.
With a deep breath, Twilight opened the door to the AV Club's meeting room. Inside, she saw the members sitting around a table and holding a morning meeting. “Excuse me,” she greeted, slipping inside. “Could I bother you for a second?”
The girl at the head of the table stopped her point, her blue hair swinging as she turned towards Twilight. "Oh, the new girl. What brings you to our humble club today?"
Smiling, Twilight approached the table. “Well... It’s a bit of an odd request. How tired are you guys of Sunset Shimmer?”
"About as tired of her as tvs are of vacuum tubes," one of the members chirped. "Which is to say, completely."
“Okay good.” Twilight pulled out a folder, passing it to the girl at the front. “Here’s what we got planned.”
"Sandalwood sent us," Wyatt added, remembering what the dreadlocked teen had said as Pixel grabbed the folder. “We’re just trying to take her down a peg, not ruin her school life.”
Pixel scanned the page, nodding every so often. "Gonna be hard to resist the urge to drop a nuke on her social life, but I can get these reel jockeys to listen to me. We can work double time given the time crunch. But tell Sandalwood he owes me a tray of his mom's gluten free brownies in exchange for this job."
Realization dawned on Wyatt after that comment and he said, “Wait, is Green Peace’s real name Sandalwood?”
Pixel snorted, a grin on her face. “Oh Faust, is he still trying to get that nickname to stick?”
“Er... yeah...” Wyatt stepped back towards the door. “Okay, well. Thanks. I’ll let Sandalwood know.”
“Great,” the yellow girl started, turning to Twilight and the girls. “Now let’s get to work on this project of yours. We only have so much time before the first bell.”
The day had been going well. Snails had managed to score a B on that math test, and that girl he liked didn’t think he was a screw up. It looked like a pretty good day. At least it had until Sunset slammed him into a wall of lockers. The look on her face told him that today was not in fact, a good day.
"Uhhh, hi Sunset," Snails greeted. Struggling to think with a metal latch digging into his shoulder blade. He defaulted to paying her a compliment, knowing that usually eased her nerves. "You smell nice today."
“I don’t have time for your density,” Sunset growled, dragging the boy behind her. “Emergency meeting; Snips is already waiting for us.”
“Oh um... o-okay...” Snails muttered, allowing Sunset to lead him along. “Did something bad happen?”
“I’ll tell you when we get to the classroom,” Sunset chided, her grip tightening. “You know I hate repeating myself with you two.”
Without saying another word, Sunset tossed Snails into an empty classroom. Once the two were inside, they found Snips waiting for them as he drew a picture of Miss Cheerilee on the chalkboard.
“Snips, stop goofing off and start listening!” Sunset barked, releasing Snails. “We’ve got a problem here.”
Snips jumped, frantically juggling the chalk in his hand. “S-sorry!” He dropped it where it should be, standing ramrod straight. “So what’s the big emergency? I’d thought you’d be happy. I mean, you’re about to be Fall Formal Princess for the fourth time in a row.”
“Yeah! You’re gonna take that crown like you always do!” Snails piped up.
“Twilight put out a video!” Sunset explained, slamming her hand down on a desk. “Somehow she convinced Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie to be in it! Do you know how hard I worked to keep those five apart?!”
“Um... a lot?”
“That doesn’t even halfway cover it! That video is all over the school. Every single member of their friend groups has seen it. And do you know what that means for my pool of votes?”
Snips frowned, taking his phone out. “Why would a video make you so mad? What’s in it anyway?”
“The reason they’re back together is because they found out I tore them apart. And they let the entire school know that with their video, making Twilight look good in the process.” Sunset began to pace back and forth, fighting back the urge to grit her teeth. “Once those five are able to rally their friend groups together, all my blackmail and leverage will mean nothing! I need ideas, and I’m desperate enough to ask what you two can come up with.”
Snails shared a look with Snips. If Sunset was asking them for ideas, she was at rock bottom. Sighing, Snails rubbed at his neck. “I just don’t see why you don’t just steal the crown. Or just cheat?”
“Slight problem with that,” Sunset began, stopping her pacing to level a flat look at Snails. “Principal Celestia keeps the crown under lock and key. And nobody but her and Vice Principal Luna would know where said key is. If we tried breaking into the office to steal the crown there’s basically no way of doing that without a commotion. And the dance is tonight, so we can’t sneak in to get it when no one’s around. As for cheating; Vice Principal Luna watches the ballot box like a hawk all throughout the dance, there’d be no way to stuff it to win.”
Shrugging helplessly, Snails looked towards the door. “I got nothing then.”
“What if Twilight got in trouble, like a detention or something?” Snips offered, holding up a finger. “Doesn’t any kind of infra… uh, getting in trouble knock anyone out of the running automatically? Then you’d win by default.”
“Infraction,” Snails finished, giving his friend a glare. “And let me guess, you want us to do something about it?”
“I’m impressed you knew that word, Snails,” Sunset commented. “Have you been using that Word of the Day calendar I gave you? But more importantly, that’s actually a good idea.”
Bringing his hands together, Snails took in a deep breath. “You know what? No. I’m not gonna do it.”
“No?” Sunset repeated, her mind temporarily stalling. Her already addled mind couldn’t settle on being impressed or absolutely enraged at the young man’s suddenly developed backbone so settled on complete neutrality. “What do you mean, no?”
“I. Said. No.” Snails stepped up to her, squaring his shoulders. “Do your own dirty work for once.”
“You know Snails, it took a lot of courage to stand up to me,” Sunset said, nodding at him. “I’m really impressed. At the start of the year, you were basically just a bumbling yes man. This is a big change.”
Rolling his eyes, Snails stepped away. “Whatever. Go be queen bee.” Shoving his hands in his pocket, he strode out of the room. “Have fun!”
Sunset’s eye twitched, turning to Snips. “Are you gonna suddenly have a backbone too, or am I gonna have to strangle two people today?”
“N-no!” Snips shook his head, gulping. “I’m here for you, Sunset!”
“Good boy, now let’s get to work.”
Clearing the board, Sunset began working out her plan. The two of them would need to move quickly and think of something big if they’d want to make everything work by the time of the dance. Especially given that they were down a set of hands.
Wyatt couldn't keep the grin off his face, the plan was going along smoothly. The video was merely the setting of a fuse; the real spark came from the five alternate versions of the girls going along the school and rallying their friends. Just a few periods after the drop of the video, and the halls were filled with the murmurs of anti-Sunset vitriol.
“Looks like it’s working to me,” Wyatt commented, kissing Twilight’s cheek. “Our friends are reliable no matter the universe.”
"I told you it'd all work out," Twilight replied, playfully nudging his side. "Once we get the crown back, all that's left is reforming Sunset. Then, we can be home to hug Sombra before his bedtime."
Frowning, Wyatt squeezed her shoulder. “I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as you think it will be.”
"I don't think it'll be easy, but compared to pulling myself back together in the most literal way possible it'll be a walk in the park," she pointed out, making an appropriate gesture with her free hand. “You try doing that, Mr. Mathews.”
“I think if you had four of me, you’d beg me to never go back to normal,” Wyatt teased, leaning into her side. “And don’t say you wouldn’t, Ms Sparkle.”
Putting a finger to the corner of her chin, Twilight pretended to be deep in thought. “I mean, one of you is already a great boyfriend, so four of you could definitely make things… interesting.”
“Yeah, interesting.” He grinned, winking at her. “I know exactly what you're talking about.”
Twilight started to giggle, causing the both of them to break out into laughter. Wyatt couldn’t believe what he was hearing. When he had first met Twilight, she had seemed like the stereotypical wallflower. Now she was making innuendos like it was nothing.
“So... what do you want to do while we have some free time?” she asked, brushing her hair back.
“We could always find a quiet corner of the library and read together,” Wyatt said. Smart as she was, Twilight was a simple mare to figure out. Offer her a thick burger and an even thicker book and she was happy for days. “I’ve been wondering if this world has its own version of Dune.”
“Dune?” Twilight questioned, tilting her head. “What’s that book about?”
Gathering his thoughts, Wyatt did his best to sum up the book. Dune had a lot of moving parts and it was difficult for him to describe without entering spoiler territory. Still, he did his best and gave a brief outline of the most essential characters and the basic plot, including the all important spice at the center of the tale.
By the end of the summary, Twilight had a warm smile on her face. “So that’s what it’s like to see someone passionately describe a book. Normally I’m on the other end of that kind of exchange. The book does sound interesting though. A little bit of fantasy mixed with science fiction, I’d love to read it with you.”
“We’d just need to find a copy somehow. Maybe Liz or Sarah have one?”
The two continued their conversation, finding themselves in a secluded part of the school’s library. There were no nearby overhead lights, casting the corner in a slight shadow. It almost felt like something out of a cheesy horror movie.
If Twilight had still been a pony, she would have heard the subtle creak of the boards. It wasn’t until the spear was whistling towards her head that she reacted. She stumbled backwards, the spear sailing past just where her head had been a moment prior to sink into the bookshelf behind her. Wyatt summoned his belt, putting himself in front of Twilight and glared daggers in the direction the weapon had come from.
“That wasn’t Sunset,” Twilight muttered, fumbling to get a ring on her finger.
"Very astute, Ms. Sparkle," a mysterious voice stated, a form approaching them. "No wonder you are the brains of your relationship."
Wyatt had transformed, sword out in front of him. “And I’m pretty sure you just disarmed yourself. Not a smart move.”
Emperor Zero strode into view, his arms folded behind his back. "Perhaps if I was looking to make this a real fight, but I only sought to get your attention."
“Say your piece and leave,” Wyatt spat. “We have better things to do than play dress up with bad cosplayers.”
"Isn't bad cosplay what got you here today?" Zero retorted, indicating Wyatt's armor. "But very well, I'll get to the point. I have been cast out from Dai-Shocker for my attempts to subvert Somber Shield. This would not be an issue except that I have been barred from entering the world that Dai-Shocker is based in as well as the Equestria you live in. Not only that, but my ability to open rifts has been hampered. Lately, I can only travel within the confines of this world."
Wyatt stepped closer, keeping his sword level with Zero’s neck. “I. Don’t. Care. What deluded notion would make you think we care about what happens to you?”
“Are you saying that you don’t care about what information I can offer you? Perhaps even why Somber has taken such an interest in you?” Zero pressed, not flinching as the sword hung dangerously close to his throat.
“Fuck.Off.”
“Very well, I see talking to you is a waste of time.” Zero turned on a heel, a rift opening in front of him. “I wish you the best of luck in your coming endeavors.” With that, the armored man made his leave.
Wyatt went to grab the spear for his growing collection of villain weapons only for another rift to claim it. “Damn.” Sighing, he turned to Twilight. “I was hoping to keep that.”
“Learn how to swing Goldar’s sword, then we’ll talk about you getting another weapon,” Twilight teased, removing Wyatt’s belt from his waist to let the transformation fade. “So, how much of what he said do you think was a lie?”
“I honestly have no idea.” At least some of it had to be true. Otherwise, why would Zero be slumming it in this place? “I don’t know too much about him. I didn’t watch Amazon.”
“So you erred on the side of caution and decided to not even hear him out,” she surmised, putting a hand to her chin. “Probably our smartest move. Trying to plot our own double cross for his inevitable stab in the back would just be messy.”
Wyatt glanced at the hole Zero’s spear had made. “If he is stuck here, we have to deal with him. I’m not letting a Dai-Shocker scumbag run around in a world that can’t fight back.”
“If he doesn’t want to be found, he’ll be able to evade us,” Twilight pointed out, leaning against a nearby shelf. “We might have to come back the next time the portal opens in order to do that if he doesn’t appear again by tonight.”
“We can’t do that,” Wyatt snapped. “I’m not leaving him here.”
“And what are you going to do, keep yourself here for thirty moons while you hunt someone down that can teleport at will?” She argued, giving him a stern look. “We’ll do our best, Wyatt. That’s all we can do.”
Wyatt was about to open his mouth to protest, but stopped himself. He knew she was right. It annoyed him to no end that he might have to let Zero go, but it was better than the alternative. There was no way he could be away from the fight against the rest of Shocker for thirty moons. However long that actually was.
Spike flipped the hermit crab coin into the air, watching it flit a baby blue light across the hall. Classes had finally let out, and now those with clubs were the only ones still in the halls. Well, those club goers and his group.
The girls were all putting up posters for Twilight’s campaign, reminding everyone to vote for her over Sunset. He had already completed his portion, leaving him free to wander the halls and supervise the others.
Catching the medal, he held it up to the light. “Never letting those bastards have any of you again. Never, ever again.” He frowned. It wasn’t the same. Not feeling that telltale surge of greed just wasn’t the same. He needed his dragon senses back. Luckily, one way or another they were returning home after the dance.
“I want my tail back...” he muttered, stowing the medal away. “Just a few more hours. That’s all I gotta endure.”
“What’s this about a tail?” A somewhat familiar voice chimed in from behind him.
Spike jumped, turning on his heels. “Uh, just me rambling,” he said, giving a strained laugh. “Nothing important.”
“Okay, just wasn’t expecting the new boy to like dressing up with tails,” Lily from the other day said in a deadpan. “You didn’t strike me as one of those types.”
“Dress up?” Spike repeated, blinking owlishly for a moment before his brain caught up. “Y-yeah, that’s it! Heh, you caught me.” He’d just play along. No matter what outlandish thing Lily Moon thought he was doing.
“It’s fine, I won’t tell anyone,” Lily assured him, though her expression didn’t shift in the slightest. “Not my business. Plus, I’ve made some fanart of those kinda characters before.”
“Right...” Spike motioned for her to walk with him. “So, what are you still doing here? I just got done putting up some Twilight posters.”
“I’m with the Journalism Club. I write a small OOPARTS article.” Lily answered, walking by his side. “The prez called for a break so she could get some snacks from the vending machine. Knowing her, it’ll be a while. She’s pretty indecisive when it comes to snacks.”
“OOPARTS?” Spike repeated, his brow knitting as he tried to place the word. “You mean out of place artifacts?”
Lily smiled slightly. “That’s it exactly. There is a surprising amount here in Canterlot City. Like that spot in the gardens that can make you forget whole days of your life.”
“Any thoughts on what might be the source?” Spike asked, seeing Fluttershy in the distance as she timidly put up the posters. “A pollen from a specific flower maybe?”
“I’d rather not forget anything.” Lily stopped, watching Fluttershy work. “Do you think she’ll win?”
“My sister’s put her all into this,” Spike said, pumping his fist with a grin. “And I’ve seen her do way more impressive things than winning a popularity contest.”
Fluttershy regarded them kindly, her voice like a ghost. “You have enough confidence for two people, Spike.”
“Only two? And here I thought I had enough for at least three or four,” the young man joked, flashing her a grin. “You about done? I was heading out to meet the others. You wanna walk with us?”
“Oh yes, I only have one more sign to put up,” Fluttershy told him, showing off the rolled up paper. “I’d be happy to walk with you.” Putting up her last poster, Fluttershy fell in step with them. The walk was pleasant, though Shy seemed put off by Lily’s detachedness.
After a few minutes, the trio found the others by the school’s trophy case. Rarity was leading the conversation, and judging by how animated she was, the topic involved fashion in some way. They greeted the trio with warm greetings and early congratulations.
“I’ve got a feeling this Formal’s in the bag,” Dash said, brushing imaginary dirt off her shoulder. “No one seems scared of Sunset anymore and the whole school seems like it’s buzzing. That video did the trick!”
“Ah don’t know if we’re in the clear yet,” AJ said, looking between everyone. “No one’s heard much from Sunset today. Ah’ve got a feelin’ she’s gonna try somethin’ sneaky.” Adjusting her hat, she gave an uncertain look. “Let’s all be careful.”
“I mean, what could Sunset possibly do that could prevent Twilight from getting the crown?” Pinkie questioned, tilting her head. “Well... there are actually a lot of things, but she doesn’t seem to be the violent type.”
The group decided to ignore whatever Pinkie was thinking, Rarity deciding to jump in the fray again. “Anyway, we simply must be ready for tonight. We should go to my home so I can get our dresses ready.”
Twilight wanted to say something, only to feel a hand on her shoulder. Turning her head, she found Vice Principal Luna staring back at her with a hard to read expression. “Miss Sparkle, I need to have a word with you at my office.”
“Me?” Twilight asked, doubt rooting in her mind. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“We’ll continue our talk in my office,” Luna said, leading Twilight away from the group. Her tone was even, her gaze telling the others to offer no protest. “Now come along.”
Twilight said nothing, following the woman through the hall. Whatever this was, she knew she had done nothing wrong. With the truth and an even head on her side, she’d make it through no matter what was going on.
It didn’t take long for Twilight to reach Luna’s office and she was asked to take a seat. “Miss Sparkle, we have been given word that you destroyed all the decorations in the gym where the dance is being held.”
That had to be a joke. There was no way Luna would actually think she’d do something like that. Her expression soured, remembering where she was. “I can assure you, Vice Principal Luna, I did no such thing.”
“I’m afraid I need something better than assurances,” Luna replied, placing a manilla folder onto her desk and pulling out several photos. “There is evidence that you have done this.”
Twilight flipped the folder open, spreading the photos out. Each showed herself in various poses, destroying some decoration. “This is ridiculous. Did you get these from Sunset Shimmer?”
“No Miss Sparkle, I did not get these from your opponent,” Luna confirmed, folding her hands over her desk. “While I might personally believe you don’t seem like the type of student to commit such an act, the photos are damning.”
Crossing her arms, Twilight changed to a more neutral stance. “I have multiple witnesses that will tell you I wasn’t anywhere near the gym.” Blinking, she realized something. These photos had to be faked somehow, and who did she know that knew more about photography than anything else? “Vice-Principal, I think I also have a way to definitely debunk these pictures. Wyatt Matthews is a photographer, if these are altered in any way, he’ll be able to figure it out.”
Luna sighed. “That’s not exactly an unbiased source. Mr. Matthews is your boyfriend, is he not?”
Twilight bit her lip, cursing the fact that this Luna was as sharp as her own version. How was she supposed to find someone to check the photos for her on such short notice? This was bad. There had to be some sort of way to prove her innocence, she just had to think.
"Vice-Principal, do you have any idea when the gym was vandalized?" Twilight looked up from the photos, hoping to find an answer on the woman's face. “A general time frame?
“Only that it must have happened after the last gym class of the day met,” Luna admitted, pinching her brow. “That info might work in your favor. Without a decent knowledge of the school schedule, it would be difficult to time that by chance.”
“I didn’t do it,” Twilight repeated, irritation swelling in her voice. “I’ll fetch everyone I was with at that time and prove it.”
Luna looked like she was about to say something when there was a knock on her office door. Confused, she got up to answer it. When she opened the door, Luna’s body prevented Twilight who was on the other side. “Mr. Cargot, whatever your issue is, it will have to wait. I’m addressing an important matter right now.”
Snails slipped in under her arm, wearing a pensive face. “I know, that’s why I’m here. Twilight didn’t do anything wrong.”
“And why would you know that Twilight has been accused of something, Mr. Cargot?” the woman inquired, crossing her arms over her chest. “And what proof can you offer for Miss Sparkle’s innocence?”
“Because Sunset Shimmer wanted Snips and I to bust up the gym.” He moved to stand next to Twilight. Gulping, he didn’t meet her gaze. “I told her no but Snips went along with it.” Pulling out his phone, he pulled something up. “I managed to record some of the plan, if you want to look at that, Vice-Principal.”
Without hesitating, Luna took the phone and began playing the recording. Twilight didn't know how to feel. On one hand, she was glad that she was being proven innocent, but it was devastating to find out that Sunset would go so far.
Snails glanced up at Twilight, then away quickly. “So... yeah... She didn’t do it...”
"Thank you for this, Mr. Cargot," Luna said, returning his phone to him. "Miss Sparkle, you can head on home now. I need to find Miss Shimmer. Because of her it seems we’ll have to delay the dance to tomorrow night at least."
“Thank you,” Twilight said, stepping outside. Repeating her calming chant, she took the moment to order her thoughts. They fell into place as Snails joined her. Turning to him, she shared a smile. “Thank you so much, Snails. You have no idea how much that meant to me.”
"Oh, um no problem," he muttered out, rubbing his neck. "Couldn't just let Sunset do you dirty like that."
“Why would you stick your neck out for me though?” Twilight asked, trying to recall the little she knew about the colt of the same name.
Snails shuffled, staring at his shoes. “Ya know I just... got really tired of doing Sunset’s dirty work.” Resentment boiled over, bleeding into his speech. “Everyone already thinks Snips and I are screw ups. That we’re just a pair of idiots. I’m not stupid, and I’m not going to let her push me around anymore.”
With a gentle smile, Twilight put a hand on Snails’ shoulder. “That’s very mature of you. I think you’ve done a very brave thing.” Removing her hand, she continued. “And for what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re stupid.”
That seemed to have an impact on Snails. He puffed his chest out and straightened his back. “T-Thanks.” Clearing his throat, he headed down the hall. “And be careful okay? Sunset’s starting to get weird.”
“Thanks for the warning, I’ll keep an eye out,” she promised, waving at him. Dread made its presence known, perching on her shoulder. Sunset was getting desperate, erratic. How far would she go to get the crown?
Biting her lip, an earlier threat bubbled up from the spring of her memory. She needed to get to Spike. Her legs moved first, taking her down the path she knew led to the meeting spot. She broke out into a near run, her mind racing almost as fast as her legs. Before she could revert to full blown panic mode, she could see her friends by the entrance.
“Hey!” Slowing down, she took a head count. “Did I miss anything?”
“We could ask you that,” Rainbow said, coming up to her. “You’re the one that got called out by the Vice-Principal, what was that about?”
Shaking off the dread Twilight shared this new development. “Sunset’s afraid I’m going to win. Spike has to stay by my side going forward.”
“Is this about that threat she made our first day here?” Spike questioned, rubbing the back of his head. “I’m not gonna let anyone take me, Twilight. I’m not actually a kid, remember?”
“Aren’t you a minor in both worlds?” Wyatt whispered to the teen, being careful with everyone around.
“Shut up, Wyatt,” Spike hissed back. He fought monsters, almost died and Wyatt was going to bring that up?
“Just listen to your big sister on this one, okay?” Twilight requested with a sigh. “If not for your own safety, then for my peace of mind.” Pulling him into a hug, she reflected on how much he had grown. No longer was he the little dragon who wore pink aprons. He was a strong drake that put so much effort into saving lives. Even if it scared her senseless, she was so proud of him.
Extracting himself from her embrace, Spike nodded. “Ya, ya. I got it, Twi. Not following you into the bathroom though.”
"Ugh, do you always have to make it gross?" Twilight whinged, sticking her tongue out.
“I’m normally not one to interrupt a lovely family moment, but what was it that Sunset framed you for, darling?” Rarity inquired, waving a hand to Twilight.
“It doesn’t matter.” Twilight rounded the group up, leading them to the gym. A few instructions were given, Twilight diving right into picking up some trashed decorations. Sunset wasn’t going to beat her. They’d work through the night if they had to.
After a while, some of the students that were staying behind for clubs took notice of what they were doing and joined in. It wasn’t long before almost all of the various members joined in, making light work of the daunting task.
Comradery soared, the labor jumpstarting a shared spirit that CHS hadn’t seen in years. In fact, if someone were to ask the teachers, they’d say this was the closest they’d ever seen students act.
When the last decoration was in place, everyone allowed themselves to relax. They took a moment, admiring their work while some pointed out their contributions. When someone took out their phone to take a picture of the newly decorated gym, a look of realization crossed their face.
“Oh crap! If the dance is back on, then we’ve only got a couple hours to get ready!”
Once that bit of news reached everyone, there was a scramble out of the gym. “Girls! Meet me at my house! I have everything we need for tonight!” Rarity shouted, pushing her way to the front while grabbing Twilight. “Come along, Twilight~”
Without much room for negotiation, Twilight was dragged along to Rarity’s car with Spike taking up a spot in the back seat. When they were on the road, she found Wyatt had brought out his bike and was giving Daring a ride.
“So... Twilight...” Rarity glanced back at Spike. He had probably already been given the talk, she reasoned. Still, best to keep the conversation private. Putting on the radio, she began again. “You let Wyatt undress you,” she said plainly, keeping her voice low.
Twilight’s elbow slipped from where she had propped it up on the window, the side of her head banging against said window. “Wh-when did I ever insinuate that?” Twilight stuttered out, her normally purple face now beet red.
“You said and I quote ‘only my boyfriend is allowed to undress me’.” Rarity couldn’t help the little smirk forming on her face. “It was when I put you in that disguise.”
Why had she even said that? Groaning, Twilight found no real reason for that slip of information. “That’s really none of your business, Rarity.”
“That’s not a no~” Rarity chimed.
What the hell was Twilight even doing? No matter what the mirror did to her, she was still an adult. Shaking off the embarrassment, she put her foot down. “What Wyatt and I do is none of your concern, Rarity. And I’d like it if you didn’t bring it up again.”
Rarity giggled, adjusting the radio. “Oh alright, Twilight. You are way too easy to tease. But as a friend, I won’t say another word on it.”
Like her equine double, Rarity thrived under pressure. Her own dress had been finished weeks ago, but now she had to produce three custom outfits, Daring having refused one. The process was a blur of activity, from measurements to fittings. Time itself seemed to bend to Rarity’s needs.
“Ladies, may I present to you Twilight and Spike Sparkle as well as one Wyatt Matthews!” Rarity cheered to the group, making a sweeping motion towards her changing areas.
Wyatt and Spike were the first to step out, showing off the tuxedos they were wearing. Spike’s tie and cumberbun were the same shade of green as his hair while Wyatt had a magenta and black tie and a magenta cumberbun.
“I feel like I’m going to a wedding...” Spike muttered, doing another inspection of his clothes. “Way too nice for a school dance...”
“I dunno, I feel pretty good about how I look in these threads. But if you want, then I’m sure we can go to a big box store and get you a tuxedo t-shirt,” Wyatt said, adjusting his tie. “Twi, your turn to show off and steal our thunder,” he added, turning to Twilight’s changing rooms.
At Wyatt’s call, Twilight slipped onto the stage. Her dress shimmered slightly in the light, bearing a shade of purple that matched her skin. Around her waist was a pink band that matched the streak in her hair. The lower half of the dress was done so that one side went farther down her right leg then the left. To top off the look, her hair was done up in a bun, the hair pin keeping it together styled after her cutie mark’s main star.
“So... how do I look?” she asked; an open question, but her eyes were on Wyatt.
Taking her hand, Wyatt gave it a quick kiss. “Stunning, absolutely stunning.” Giving her hand a squeeze, he continued. “You look ready to be the Fall Formal Princess.”
Pulling him into a longer kiss, she basked in his presence. “Let’s go to prom.” Giggling, she clipped her belt back on. “We can make it like that Future movie you like.”
Grinning, he put an arm around her. “I’d need to be able to play Johnny B. Goode on guitar to pull that one off.”
“The belt stays,” Twilight said, cutting off Rarity’s oncoming complaint. “Non-negotiable.” Squeezing Wyatt’s waist, she slid a ring on. “Spike, keep yours on too. I have a feeling we’ll have party crashers.”
“Alright,” Spike said, slapping his belt into place.
Pinkie came up to him, looking closely at his belt. “Huh, never seen a belt like that before. Kinda looks like you put quarters in it.” Gasping, she fished a few coins from her purse. “If I put money in it will prizes come out?!”
“Please don’t put anything in my belt,” Spike deadpanned, gently nudging the pink girl away. “It’s not a toy.”
“Okay, and how is a belt supposed to keep you safe from Sunset?” Rainbow asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Worried she’s gonna pants you?”
Twilight slipped a few rings on, taking inventory of the rings hanging from her belt. “I wish we hadn’t left on such short notice...” The ones she had on hand would work, they could cover for anything that might come up. Could, though, didn’t always translate to would.
“Now Ah’m confused,” AJ started, looking between Spike and Twilight. “First belts, now jewelry, what scheme are y’all hatchin’?”
Stepping behind AJ, Daring slipped her arm through the taller girl’s chest. “Your school statue is a portal to another world. We’re from the other side and the crown is something Sunset stole from Twilight. There, it’s out in the open.”
“Oooh,” Pinkie started, tapping a fist to her open palm. “That makes so much sense. And those belts aren’t just cool accessories, you use them to transform into powerful heroes and are expecting Sunset to be able to tap into unstable power due to the crown being away from its normal environment.”
The girls all looked to Twilight and Spike, expecting them to deny what had just been said. “Yeah, that’s about the long and short of it,” Wyatt said with a shrug. “We’re just worried that there might be an incident at the Formal.”
Rarity stumbled forward, falling onto her fainting couch. “This is all simply too much.” Blinking, Rarity turned to Twilight. "Hold on a tick, Daring said that was your crown. Twilight, does that mean that you're royalty?" When she received a nod in response, Rarity instantly shot up and squealed in joy. “Then I’ve made a dress for an honest to goddess princess!”
Twilight was very glad she didn’t have her normal ears. “That’s really important right now, Rarity. We have to get that crown back, no matter what. Even if it means taking it from the Formal winner.”
Clearing her throat, Rarity looked to Twilight with a faint blush. “Right, sorry. Well, you have my support, darling.”
With everyone in agreement, the group put on the last finishing touches they needed to be ready for the dance. With everything in place they headed out, assuring themselves they were ready to face anything Sunset could throw at them.
Before Rarity could drag her off again, Twilight opted to let Wyatt drive her back to the school. When they pulled up, a sea of students were already flooding into the school. They recognized some faces, either through their parallels or from the help they had been during their time on this side of the mirror.
“What are you thinking?” Wyatt asked, watching as Thunderlane strode by. “Zero can show up whenever he wants. He might’ve already taken the crown.”
“I’m thinking that if Zero wanted the crown for himself he’d do that,” Twilight said, pulling off her helmet. “There has to be a reason why he’s going through a third party like Sunset. Maybe he thinks that with the crown in the state it’s in, it’ll do something to the user. Sunset could be his guinea pig.”
Sighing, Wyatt slipped off the bike. “Let’s just tackle this one thing at a time. We’ve got a crown thief to reform.”
Wyatt suddenly found himself reliving his life from only a few years ago. Here he was, taking another girl to a school event. It pleased him to know that Twilight was the one to come with him. Waving at the familiar faces, Wyatt caught a blue haired guy casting glances their way.
Smiling, Wyatt turned his head towards Twilight. "If I was a gambling man, I'd bet that Sunset won't try anything until after the Princess announcement. Want to enjoy your first school dance for a bit?"
Lifting his hand, Twilight placed a kiss on it. “I would love to, Mr. Mathews. Did you have anything specific in mind?”
"Just your average slow dance," Wyatt said, before a wicked grin split his face. "Unless you want me to try and fail to do the worm?"
“The worm?” she questioned, guiding him through the mass of people.
"Yeah, you basically try to undulate along the ground like a worm," Wyatt explained, motioning with an arm in a crude attempt to mimic the dance. "Mildly impressive if you can pull it off, hilarious when done poorly."
“Let’s not do that.” Finding a fairly open space of flooring, she placed her hands on his hips. “So, how about we figure out a better dance?”
Snickering, Wyatt took the lead. "Well, neither of us is exactly much of a dancer, but I'm all ears if you have any suggestions." Keeping his hands in a pg location, he initiated a slow dance. “How about we start it off like this?”
Leaning into the embrace, Twilight followed along with his movements. "I can work with this."
A few meters away from the happy couple, Spike approached a rather dour looking Lily Moon. Her dress wasn’t much different in terms of style to her normal clothes. The whole dress was black with with some slight ruffle to the shoulder straps. The bottom half of the dress was semi-sheer, with a spiderweb pattern running along it. Capping off the look was a pair of knee high boots with a bit of a heel to them.
"Someone went all out for tonight," Lily commented, noticing Spike and giving him a wave.
Spike held back a laugh. “You're one to talk, you look pretty ‘all out’ to me.”
"I wanted to come in a tuxedo t-shirt, my parents picked out a pink dress for me. This was the compromise we reached," Lily explained, waving a hand over herself.
A great compromise, Spike thought to himself. “I think it’s pretty nice.” Offering his hand, he nodded to the dance floor. “Could I persuade you to dance a bit? I can do a mean mambo.”
"Normally I'd say dancing is for conformists," Lily started, looking up from the offered hand. "But I can make an exception tonight."
Dancing wasn’t something Spike did often. He had taken lessons for Rarity’s sake. Lessons that hadn’t seen use since they were learned. It brought up emotions Spike hadn’t been prepared to deal with. Steeling his nerve, Spike moved through the lessons.
"You okay?" Lily questioned, following Spike's steps to the best of her ability. "You seem both nervous and melancholy."
“Huh? Oh, I’m okay.” Spike smiled despite himself. “Don’t let me bring you down.”
"I'm always down," Lily retorted, the corner of her mouth twitching. "Darkness and despair are like second homes to me."
Chuckling, Spike picked up the pace. “Then maybe our next dance should be at a graveyard? A bit morbid, if you ask me.”
“Morbid is fun,” Lily answered, swaying with him. “The dark and macabre have endless creative possibilities. Not to mention all the unique views on death and respecting our dearly departed.”
It struck him that he had never asked his grandfather about draconic spirituality. The only hints had been at the bonding ceremony. “I guess that’s true. I bet my family has some pretty wild beliefs.”
This managed to get a ghost of a smile out of Lily. “Isn’t that better than having beliefs that fall in line with everyone else? Who wants to be mundane?”
“You have no idea, Lily.” Leaning forward, Spike held Lily above the ground.
“Maybe I want to find out?” she commented, looking down at her dangling feet. “Just like I’ve found out that you work out.”
Reversing his posture, Spike pulled Lily close. “I wouldn’t mind you finding out...” he held in a ‘but’, suddenly feeling an uncomfortable heat. “I don’t know if that would work out.”
“There’s that melancholy again,” Lily pointed out, searching his gaze. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“A lot actually,” Spike admitted, glancing off to track his friend’s movements. “It’s... complicated. More than I’d like it to be.”
“Pretty vague, but I guess that’s the most I’ll get out of you,” she concluded, disappointment etched onto her features.
“You wouldn’t believe any of it,” Spike said quickly. “And I mean that.”
Nodding, Lily didn’t say another word but it was clear that it was still on her mind. Every few moments she’d bore her eyes into his, searching for something within them.
“What?” he asked, finding himself looking back into hers.
“I’m trying to figure you out. You go out of your way to talk to me, but then don’t want to open up,” she answered, her frown returning.
Spike sighed, feeling a frown begin on his own face. “Alright, alright. You got me. I’ll spill.” leading her through a series of steps, Spike kept a lid on his quivering stomach. “Ask away, Lily.”
"Okay, why do you think your family's beliefs would be out there? Seems like the place to start."
“Because they’re dragons,” he answered truthfully, “And I mean that literally.”
"Fire breathing, scaly and wings?" Lily asked, surprise showing through her normal facade. This only grew when each quality got a nod from Spike. “How? You look pretty human to me.”
"Yeah, I came through a portal and it made me look like this," Spike answered, nodding down at himself. "It's the statue in front of the school. It’s really weird being like this...”
“Now I want to see the real you,” Lily said, her smile returning. “So what is the dragon version of your sister like?”
Oh how he had come to love that smile. “She’s only part dragon. She’s actually a pony. Her family adopted me after I hatched.”
“A pony? So four legs, tail and the whole shebang?” Lily questioned.
“Huh? Ponies walk on two legs.”
“Ok, now you’re making me want to see your world,” she said. “Dragons and bipedal ponies, it sounds like something out of a fantasy novel. Or something off a girly poster at the very least.”
Spike shrugged noncommittally. “Might not be the best idea. There’s a version of you over there.”
"Have you ever even met me on the other side?" Lily questioned, tilting her head. "Aren't you curious about what I'd look like on the other side?" she added, poking him in the chest. "What if I'm a dragon on the other side, like you?"
Lowering her into another dip, Spike smiled. “I think you’d look very good in scales.” He winked, letting her hang for a few moments.
"I may or may not also find use for fire breath," Lily joked. Noticing the position she was in, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. If there was any hint of her stoic demeanor left, that long dip had sent it crumbling away like dust in the wind. "You uh, weren't kidding about your mambo."
Pulling her back up, Spike found he had brought her closer than expected. A lump formed in his throat, the contact exciting his blood. “Y-yeah, I took a lot of good lessons back home...”
"Do you… have any other moves?" Lily asked, her eyes darting around before settling on his. “Maybe you could give me some lessons?”
"Yeah, I'd like that." Instinct drove his next actions, pulling her even closer. Leaning down, he captured her lips with his own. Closing his eyes, he savored the moment.
"I liked that move more than the mambo," she noted, her face flush and the ghost of a smile slowly came to life. “Got any more like it?”
Smirking, Spike leaned in for another kiss. Though, before he could seal the deal, the lights focused on the stage and Principal Celestia’s voice came over the speakers. “Okay students, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The votes have been counted so it’s time to crown our Fall Formal Princess!”
“Twilight’s got this,” he whispered to Lily, watching the stage.
“I know I voted for her,” Lily said, a slight huff to her voice. “I think most people did.”
Back on the stage, Celestia opened an envelope in her hands. “And this year’s Princess is,” she paused for dramatic effect, looking among the crowd, “Twilight Sparkle!”
A cheer went up amongst the students, a few anti-Sunset slogans coming out over the yelling.
Luna stepped onto the stage, carrying the crown on a pillow. “Would our princess please step onto the stage?” the blue woman requested.
Planting a kiss on Wyatt’s cheek, Twilight moved through the crowd. Pride and embarrassment clashed inside of her, soaking in the parting crowd. This wasn’t so different from her last coronation. Except, this time, people had chosen her. She'd convinced them over their own fear that she was the best choice.
Taking her place before Luna, she gave the older woman a smile. Leaning her head down, Twilight waited for her crown to return to her head.
The gym completely darkened, a shout of surprise going through the crowd. Twilight's hand went to her rings, trying to find the Light spell. The sound of clicking heels caught her ear, putting her on high alert.
“Sunset took the crown!”
As quickly as the power had gone out, it returned, everyone glancing around to take stock of the situation. Twilight looked out across the gym, finding Sunset standing at the exit.
“Thanks for keeping this warm for me, Princess, I appreciate it!” Sunset called out, twirling the crown in her hand. “You really are a princess of the people!”
“Sunset, it’s not too late to stop this!” Twilight called out, focusing on the thief. “Whatever your plan is, you can back away from it now!” Hopping off the stage, she approached Sunset and kept her hands up to show she didn’t intend to use her rings. “I’ve seen Zero, I know he convinced you to do this.”
Sunset backed into the door, holding the crown before her. “I didn’t need anyone to convince me. I’m just taking what I should’ve had in the first place.” With a quick turn, she ran down the hall. “See you on the other side, Twilight!”
A very non-equine snort escaped Twilight Sparkle. Her eyes darting around the crowded gym, she caught glimpses of the others rushing for the exit. Slipping a ring on, she made an attempt to cut Sunset off. Once the rift was open, she stepped through appearing at the school's statue.
With another use of her ring, she pulled out her Magic Sword-Gun. She hoped she wouldn’t need it, but Sunset was clearly averse to reason. A minute later, and Sunset burst out of the double doors, shock appearing on the girl’s face as she ground to a halt.
"You're not keeping my crown, Sunset," Twilight stated. "Whether I change your mind or not, that fact won't change." Leveling her sword at Sunset, she mustered her authority. “Give me back my crown.”
Looking down at the crown in her hands, Sunset gave Twilight a defiant glare. "No, I've fought too hard for this." Eyes locked on Twilight, she placed the crown atop her head.
The instant the Element was firmly in place, blue light shone from the jewel. A moment later, blue rings passed over her. The rings solidified into a pillar of blue light, black flames curling through it on occasion. Inside the miasma, Sunset's eyes glowed pure white, her body changing. Her skin turned vibrant red, her hands becoming wicked claws. Her ears elongated, turning elfin while leathery wings shot out from her back.
The pillar of light dissipated, leaving a now gathered crowd to take in Sunset's appearance. Sunset panted, a look of anguish replaced by a cruel smile. “Oooo... this will be fun!” Propelling herself into the sky, she called upon the energy of the crown. “Why don’t you join me, Snips?”
Gaping in slackjawed wonder, Snips could only manage a slow nod in response. He underwent a similar transformation, the crown’s corrupted magic flowing over him.
Wyatt, Spike and the girls all came up to Twilight, unable to look away from the development.
"Okay, so demon makeover wasn't what I expected," Wyatt commented before turning to Twilight. "Guess we're doing this the hard way, huh?" His belt was already closed, armor forming over him. “Let’s go then.”
"Seems that way," Twilight agreed, transforming. With no reason to hold back, she went straight to Flame Dragon. Leaping into the air, her sword swung at Sunset’s chest. Sunset caught the sword with one hand, throwing Twilight back down to the ground with a mighty heave.
Sunset flexed her fingers, pleased by just how strong she had become. “It seems you and your friends have some tricks.” Drawing more power from the crown, her gaze turned towards the crowd. “Let’s make things a little more even!”
Throwing her hands down, twin beams of black energy writhed out and struck two unsuspecting teens. Almost like a wave, black bolts spread from student to student. Corrupting magic spread, leaving no one untouched. Cries of pain and horror rang up from the teens as their bodies began to twist and morph.
“Now then, where were we?” Sunset dove at Twilight, magic crackling over her hands. Batting Twilight’s sword to the side, her claws dug grooves in the rider's jeweled helmet.
Jumping back, Twilight slipped another ring on her finger. With a tap of a hand to her sword, she created a copy of her weapon. Taking up a stance, she brought both blades down on Sunset.
Sunset slid backwards, the blades passing inches away from her. Bringing her hands together, she pulled them apart, black magic gathering into a broadsword. Raising it up, she cut downwards at Twilight’s head.
Putting her swords up in a cross pattern, Twilight stopped the swing a few scant inches away from her forehead. Twisting her hands, she redirected the broadsword to the pavement and kicked Sunset in the stomach. Growling, Sunset stumbled back, energy gathering in her hands.
“So you can fight a little, big deal. Let’s see if you can fend off the full power of my Element!” Rising up into the air, Sunset let the energy build, dark magic crackling along her claws. Wicked magic lanced down at Twilight, burning through the concrete around her.
Twilight panted, struggling to stay on her feet. Despite having gone years without using magic, Sunset didn’t show any signs of being out of practice. “You don’t understand a damn thing about that Element.”
“It’s the Element of Magic, not all that complicated,” Sunset dismissed, swooping down once more with her sword at the ready. Her blade came in low, knocking aside one of Twilight’s swords. A smaller conjured blade caught Twilight’s other weapon, jerking it downwards. Using her momentum, she kneed the rider in the stomach before landing on her feet. “Seems to be working rather well.”
Twilight slid back from the force of the kick, her breath hitching for a moment. “What you’re doing is wrong. Magic isn’t supposed to be here!” Sliding on another ring, she tapped it to her swords. Fire danced around the blades as Twilight charged Sunset.
Wyatt’s attempt to join her fell short, a spear grazing his leg. Zero flickered into existence, a mirthful veil over his face. “This could’ve been avoided, Mathews. Remember, it was I who came to you.”
Pulling out a card, Wyatt slotted it into his belt. "Forgive me if I don't feel any regret over turning you down."
"Kamen Ride: Amazon!" Silhouettes converged on Wyatt, leaving him in the green, monitor lizard themed armor. Though armor might've been a misnomer, the form seemed more organic than anything else. There were red stripes all along the form, except for the tan chest area. Capping off the look were spikes on the back of his leg and along his wrists.
Taking a primal pose, he bolted towards Zero. Spear reappearing in his hands, Zero deterred Wyatt’s charge with a forward jab. Wyatt tucked into a roll, springing into a crouching position. Bringing his weapon around, Zero brought the butt of his spear to bear. It cracked against Wyatt’s helmet, putting more distance between them.
Despite the hit, Wyatt was smirking. Compared to when he was in gym class, he felt filled to the brim with energy. His senses were alight with stimuli. Nothing was holding him back right now, and Zero was going to feel the brunt of that.
Leaping upward, Wyatt feinted a punch towards Zero's gut before swiping at his face with his wrist spikes. Zero turned his face with the claws, feeling the blood flowing free.
Wyatt landed deftly, shaking the blood from his wrist. "Is this the best you've got? No wonder Shocker kicked you out." Getting into a low stance, he readied himself for another slice.
A derisive snort left Zero’s nostrils, his hand going up to his helmet and plucking feathers from the wings atop it. “One grazing blow and you claim your victory. That hubris will be your downfall.” A flick of his wrist sent those feathers at Wyatt.
Wyatt brought his arm up, the feathers embedding themselves in his skin. He was confused for a moment, despite feeling them in his body, there was no pain. Plucking one of them out, he examined it for any signs of poison. In sequence, the feathers exploded, starting with the one in his hand. Crying out in pain, Wyatt was sent tumbling to the dirt from the force of the blast. He tried to quickly stand up, but his ears were ringing and couldn’t find his balance.
Seeing Wyatt’s distress, Spike readied a run. His aid stopped short, as Lily Moon stood in his path. He recoiled at her appearance, a distorted mix of equine and human features. One of her legs was capped with a hoof, dark purple fur covering it. Both arms were bulging with muscles and covered in similar fur. Her face was mostly untouched, save for a horn that jutted from her forehead.
“Lily, please don’t,” Spike begged, digging his heel in. “I really don’t want to hurt you.”
Lily grunted, her body struggling to move. Her horn crackled, a blue aura sputtering around it. Her eyes shone the color of Sunset’s magic, standing out against her blank expression. With a roar that reverberated through Spike, Lily threw a glowing punch at the rider.
“I said please!” Dropping under the punch, Spike rammed his shoulder into her sternum. “Please don’t really get hurt from this.”
Lily grunted, forced back a step. Other than that, she gave no real reaction to the attack and immediately went to kick Spike. Rolling to the side, Spike threw a punch at her jaw. Turning his belt, he slipped the first medal out of it. He winced as he slipped a new medal in place, a bright red mark on Lily's cheek was clearly forming.
“Don’t hate me.” Fumbling the rest of the medals, Spike scanned them. Serenity focused his mind, UniSaPo forming over his body. “I’ll do my best to avoid hurting you, but I can’t guarantee you won’t get a few bruises."
Charging up the horn on his helmet, Spike fired a beam of concentrated harmonic energy into Lily's chest. “Please work.”
Black mist began to rise off the young girl, some of her equine features slightly receded. The changes surged back, Lily herself retaliating with a bolt of magic. Spike threw up a quick shield, the bolt crashing into it an instant after it formed. The shield fizzled out, leaving the former drake vulnerable as Lily charged him.
Leaping over her, Spike’s wings took him into the sky. The makeshift battlefield spread out before him like a roiling ocean. Trapped in the middle, Daring defended the few remaining unmutated students from their peers. He turned his attention back to where Wyatt had been fighting, the young man still trading blows with Zero.
Angling his wings, Spike went into a dive and aimed a punch for Zero's back. His momentum broke, a shrieking student slamming into him from below. Her beak snapped at his helmet, their limbs locking into a tangle.
"Really, now I've got Gilda to deal with?" Spike grunted, charging his horn while avoiding the sharp beak. "I think you need to chill." Firing a blue beam, ice formed on the girl's wings. He found himself regretting that choice, the extra weight beginning to strain his wings.
With a snap decision, Spike clamped his wings to his back, putting himself on top of Gilda as they careened back towards the earth. Gilda slashed into his chest, taloned fingers digging into metal. Keeping one hand on her to stay stable, Spike reared a fist back to punch the mutated girl in the beak.
His fist caught her in the eye, snapping Gilda’s head to the side. Not letting up, he threw another punch just before the ground greeted them once more. Kicking Gilda off, Spike rolled to his feet. “How ya doing, D.D?”
“Besides the crazy mutants trying to take chunks out of my ass, peachy!” Daring
shouted, swinging her club at a partial diamond dog as it approached a frozen Fluttershy. “How about you?”
“I’ve had better,” Spike called back. “You need some help?”
"I wouldn't turn it down," Daring said, turning incorporeal to avoid a clawed hand. Once the dog stumbled behind her, she swept her leg and had it faceplant into the grass. She brought a kick down on its head, satisfied that it went limp.
Nodding, Spike made his way over to where Daring was. Lighting his horn, he fired off a beam at a pony mutant as he tried to jump the ghostly rider. Wading through the crowd, Spike suffered more than a few cheap shots.
"This is insane," the former drake commented, managing to get next to Daring. "I don't know how long we can keep up."
“Twilight!” Daring knocked away another student. “Kick her ass quicker!”
Twilight grunted, a magic blast sending her through one of the school's walls. Before she could get up, Sunset flew at her, picking the dazed girl up by the throat. Mocking laughter resounded over the cries of battle.
“Did you really think you were some kind of superhero? You can’t even keep your crown,” Sunset taunted, sending arcs of magic into Twilight.
Crying out in pain, Twilight's body spasmed involuntarily. Focusing her eyes on the she-demon she croaked out, "E-even with the crown you're no princess."
Sunset sneered, pulling Twilight back. “Shut your damn mouth!” she slammed her through the wall, tossing Twilight to the floor. “Celestia denied me my destiny! And she replaced me with some precious little sycophant.”
Despite the situation, Twilight managed a laugh. A weak laugh that rattled her ribs, but a laugh nonetheless. Standing up, she decided to press the nerve she found. "Celestia denied you nothing. You ran away. Ran away because Celestia gave you a talking to like the spoiled brat you are."
Raising her hands up, Sunset pooled her magic. “You... you stupid, simple, ignornant pissant! You stole my life! Everything you have is rightfully mine!”
Slipping her Extend ring on one hand, Twilight waited for her moment to react. "My crown is one thing, but now it sounds like you want to steal my man."
'Wyatt's a really bad influence,' Twilight thought, a pit forming in her stomach as a dense orb of dark magic formed in Sunset's hands.
With a feral cry, Sunset let her power loose, the energy racing towards Twilight. Using her ring, her arm extended far beyond normal, grabbing the top of the statue to slingshot herself out of harm's way. With a tuck and roll, she wound up close to Daring and Spike.
Panting, Twilight took a fleeting moment to rub her neck. “We have to figure something out...” she croaked, holding in a cough. “Something that doesn’t involve killing any of them.”
"I tried using harmony power on someone," Spike explained, holding back a mutated pegasus girl. "But she instantly mutated back."
Twilight turned, eyeing the cowering human forms of her friends. “That's because you weren’t using enough of it.”
"The only way I could use more is if I did a scanning charge, and if I did that right now I wouldn't be able to keep fighting."
Before Twilight could share her thoughts, Sunset rose up from the holes she made in the school. Her hands were alight with magic, a manic grin on her face. "Clever trick, but this fight's over. Goodbye, Princess." Thrusting her hands forward, a solid black beam racing for Twilight.
Twilight’s hand moved for her Protect ring, panic gripping her mind. The riders could survive another blast, but five normal humans? She swore, fingers too shaky to get a solid grip.
"Twi, watch out!" Dash shouted out.
"Hang on, Sugarcube!" AJ bellowed. Twilight's panic turned to full blown dread as the two girls pushed their way in front of her.
Magic arced from Twilight’s belt, leaping from person to person. It settled around each of their waists, granting each of the girls a copy of Wizard’s belt except in black and red instead of black and gold.
Sighing in relief, Twilight held up her hand, the corrupted magic moving with her command and changing color. Where there had been inky black a bright rainbow took its place.
"Oh thank goodness my hypothesis was correct," Twilight muttered to herself before looking up at the she-demon. "It's like I told you, Sunset, you might have my crown, but you're no princess." The magic swirled around the six girls, armor slowly taking shape. "That crown belongs to the Princess of Friendship, and the magic of friendship is with me no matter which world I'm in!"
The girl's armor took full form, identical save for their main color and some of their weapons. The helmets were crystalline like Wizard's though these were more rough with the silver brackets resembling a grasping claw. They had shoulder pads with foot long crystal spikes on them. Their boots had two gems in them and the toe area was made to look like draconic claws.
“This... is new...” Rainbow stopped to examine her armor. “Are we... superheroes now?”
"At least while I'm here, yes," Twilight commented, glancing at her friends. The last of the magic swirled around her and a ring dropped into her palm. “I’m giving you one last chance, Sunset. Turn the crown over to me.”
"Not a chance," Sunset spat, reforming her magic broadsword. Diving Sunset rocketed towards Twilight with her sword begging for blood. Steel met magic, Twilight’s resolve matching Sunset’s bloodlust.
Pivoting around Sunset, Twilight quickly kicked the other girl in the back to put some distance between them. Taking off her Flame Dragon ring, she replaced it with the new one.
Flipping the handles on her belt, Twilight tapped the new ring to the hand. "Harmony, please! A golden magic circle appeared behind her, looking like the old representations of the Elements of Harmony. On six points were six lights, their colors matching those of the Elements. The circle moved forward, passing through Twilight. "Laughter, Loyalty, Honesty, Kindness, Generosity! Friendship is Magic!"
When the circle fully passed through her and her armor altered itself. Her helmet had changed, the shape resembling the jewel on her crown. The armor was slimmer, the coat the same black as her base form with purple crystal areas on the chest. “Alright girls, are you ready to banish some evil?”
Brandishing, her new claw hand, AJ nodded. "We'll take care of the small fries, y'all teach Sunset a lesson."
“Oh... but um... what if we hurt them?” Fluttershy questioned, peeking out from behind Dash. Instead of a claw, her weapon was a butterfly shaped pink fan.
"If you don't wanna hurt them, then at least keep them away from Twi and the others," Dash said, patting her back. "That'll be plenty."
Bringing her sword to bare, Twilight jabbed at Sunset’s sternum. With no killing intent behind them, the jabs were easily turned aside.Twilight’s aim however was to keep her off balance. Sunset retaliated with a brutal swing of her own, but the bulkier weapon was easily dodged by Twilight.
Deciding to rely on footwork to avoid her opponent's blade, Twilight switched her sword to its gun form. Nimbly dodging another blow, she opened fire on Sunset's stomach. Sunset expanded her sword into a shield, using her wings to propel herself back.
“What’s wrong Sunset, afraid of my little peashooter?” Twilight taunted, brandishing her gun. "All that confidence seems to have dried up."
Sunset didn’t respond verbally, opting instead to flap her wings to rush forward and bash Twilight with her shield. Dropping into a crouch, Twilight rolled to the left, changing her weapon and bringing her sword up. The tip grazed Sunset's leg, cutting up to her upper thigh. Hissing in pain, Sunset buckled for a moment and nearly dropped to one knee. With a grunt of effort, she forced herself steady, a murderous look in her eyes as she refocused on the rider before her.
“Is this really what you want, Sunset?” Twilight stepped back, keeping her sword in front of her. “You’ve spent years letting this bile fester inside of you. And for what? What did any of these kids do to you?”
“This isn’t about what they did to me,” Sunset spat, going for a backhanded strike with her shield. “This is about what I deserve! Celestia promised me the life you have! I waited so long for her to give me the respect and power of a princess. That got me nothing. So now, I’m taking it.”
Twilight back stepped, the edge of the shield grazing her chin. "And that justifies twisting them into monsters? Don't you realize what you've become? Use a bit of self-reflection. There's always someone who cares. What would they think if they saw you doing this?"
This seemed to resonate with Sunset, if only for a brief moment. The girl flinched, her shield hand shaking slightly. "Shut up! What do you know?!" Pivoting on a foot, she gave a mighty backhanded strike. "I know your type, the world's given you everything!" She pressed her assault, continuing to bash at Twilight's defenses. "I've had to claw and fight for everything in my life! So don't talk down to me!"
Measuring her steps, Twilight directed her sword from strike to strike. Sunset's furious blitz cementing in Twilight's mind that only one of them had any sort of training. "You're allowed to feel how you feel, Sunset. What you're not allowed to do is take it out on others."
Hopping back, Twilight came in with a two handed chop. It was enough to jar Sunset, allowing her to spin around Sunset's body. Her elbow collided with the back of Sunset's skull. A soundless gasp escaped Sunset’s lips, her vision blurring for a moment from the force of the blow. She was slowing down and she knew it. If she didn’t do something, Twilight would overtake her and undo all her hard work.
"Do you even know what's going on?" Twilight pressed, slapping Sunset's neck with the flat of her sword. "Equestria has been under assault for months. People have been seriously hurt. People have died because of Zero and those like him. Good people have given their lives to keep Equestria safe."
Coughing, Sunset struggled to form a response. Gripping her shield tight, she sized Twilight up once more. It was clear that in a prolonged fight that the rider held the advantage. One overwhelming attack, that would have to decide it.
Gathering her strength, she charged the crown’s magic into her shield. Her body trembled, struggling to contain the power. Once she felt like there was nothing left for the crown to give, she let it out in a devastating beam of dark magic.
The magic engulfed Twilight, burning at her armor. The sensation made her skin crawl; a familiar touch warped with malice. She however, felt none for Sunset. For she knew the true power of this magic.
Going to her rings, Twilight slipped on her Finale Ring. Tapping the jewelry to her belt. "Finale!" the driver called out, a golden magic circle appearing beneath her. "Say it in Harmony! Kick Strike~" The belt rang out a tune, multiple voices coming together.
Charging deeper through the line of magic, Twilight pivoted her leg. Her golden magic parting Sunet’s blue. Raising her empowered leg, she brought in down on Sunset’s shoulders in the form of an ax kick.
Upon contact, white light burned at the she-demon's skin. Sunset cried out in horror, the crown rising from atop her head. “Let it all out,” Twilight said calmly, holding her hand out while her Element hovered in the air. “This is the magic of friendship.”
The magic spread through Sunset, her demonic features burning away. Collapsing at Twilight’s feet, she lost more than a few strands of hair to Zero’s spear. Catching the crown’s decorations, it carried the Element away from both girls.
“A pity.” Zero caught the spear, his blood rushing with ecstacy. Gripping the crown, he tore the metal like tissue. Tossing away the twisted remains, he marveled at the remaining jewel. “But I expected her to fail. Now, magic itself is mine!”
Closing his hands around the star shaped jewel, Zero slammed it into his breastplate. It burned through the metal, searing into his chest. Purple devoured the color of his eyes, glowing against the dark. Purple energy pulsed in his body, visible in his very veins.
Wyatt was the first to charge Zero, blood trickling down his arms. He clawed at the man, trying to dig the Element free with his claws. Zero backhanded Wyatt, splitting the material of his helmet.
Reeling from the blow, Wyatt fought to keep his balance. "So, this is why you had Sunset take the crown. Have her take the brunt of the side effects while you go for its power," he commented, circling the man like a predator.
“She was useful,” Zero responded, his posture completely relaxed. “I’ll let her keep her life, so she might see me take the world she wanted so much.”
"You are really letting that magic go to your head," Wyatt said, keeping the Element in the corner of his vision. "You've still got four riders to deal with." The others joined him, forming a loose circle around Zero. Nodding to his friends, Wyatt jumped at Zero once more, Twilight firing covering shots for his approach.
Zero overtook Wyatt’s momentum, leaving quickly vanishing after images to Twilight’s barrage. Calling upon the power of the element, he lifted Wyatt off his feet. Leaving him dangling, Zero squeezed ever so slowly. Wyatt grunted in pain, struggling against Zero’s grasp.Twilight stopped shooting, not wanting to hit Wyatt given his current position.
“Worms, all of you.” Hurling Wyatt like a rock, he called upon more of the element's magic. A lance of magic flew from his hand, splashing against Daring’s armor. It spread across her body, petrifying on contact.
Struggling against the petrification, Daring cursed under her breath as her body failed to turn intangible. “I’d rather be an illustration again,” she muttered, relieved that she wasn’t turned to stone.
"We need a new strategy," Spike said, putting himself in front of Daring. "Charging him clearly won't work."
How much more abuse could the element take? Even if they got it back, it might be too late. Spike immersed himself in the serenity again, centering his focus.
Sparking his horn, he looked to Twilight. "Twi, you and Wy need to distract him for me. I want to try something."
Wyatt managed a thumbs up, knocking away a spear jab. Coming in with a low crouch, Wyatt’s claws tore into Zero’s legs. His proximity prevented a swift response, allowing him to launch into a backflip. His boot clipped Zero’s chin, knocking his helmet away. Twilight came in behind Zero, slashing at his back with her sword.
"Why so slow now?" Wyatt asked, swatting away another jab from Zero's spear. "Tiring yourself out with all those spells?"
Zero sneered, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The skin around his eyes had begun to char, flaking away like burnt wood. Purple cracks had begun to form on his face, pulsing visibly in time to his heart beat. He drew more magic from the Element, the object flaring like the sun.
His body burned, screamed for release. He was not weak, he was the rightful ruler of Garanda and the worlds that fell under its sway. There was no price too high to reclaim his throne. With renewed ferocity, his spear struck Wyatt once, twice, thrice.
Wyatt coughed up blood, his next joke dying under the onslaught. Waiting for the next strike, he let it pierce him, only to grab the spear to root it in place and prevent Zero from retrieving it. Before Zero could let go of his weapon, Wyatt grabbed his wrist, digging in with his claws with a sound of scraping metal.
“I will not be bested by a lab grown mongrel,” Zero spat, the glow of his face reflecting in Wyatt’s broken helmet.
“No, but a dragon and a princess should do the trick,” Wyatt wheezed, a smirk on his face.
Twilight leveled her sword in front of her, channeling her growing anger into her weapon. “Alright girls. You wanna see some real magic? I’ll need your help with this one.”
“Sounds good to me!” Dash called, tossing away a mutated student to quickly join Twilight. “What do you need?”
The others were quick to come as well, taking up a position behind her. Spike helped Daring over, taking hold of his scanner. “Everyone ready?”
Placing their hands on Twilight, the girls gave affirmations. Taking her Finale ring one more time, Twilight put it to her Driver. Magic circles appeared at the feet of her and the girls, each one shining brightly. Spike ran his scanner over his medals, his horn shining bright with pure harmony magic. Once it was at its peak, Spike passed the energy onto Twilight and the girls. Their magic circles grew before contracting and absorbing into their armor. Springing free of her bindings, Daring pushed her way in front of Twilight.
Dash and AJ led the charge, swinging their claws at Zero from his flanks and forcing him away from Wyatt. Fluttershy spun around him, slashing gingerly with her fan. Pinkie popped up in front of him, firing a blast of harmony magic with a cannon where the others had claws. Rarity followed, dashing from behind Zero and clawing along his ribs.
Daring’s leiomano cleaved into Zero’s stomach, it’s teeth opening his armor like tin. “Fucking asshole.” Tearing her weapon away, she left him wide open for Twilight.
Using Daring’s shoulder like a springboard, Twilight leapt toward Zero and stabbed into the hole in his platemail. Grabbing the element, she channeled her own magic into it. “You want the Element of Magic, Zero? You can have it!”
Purple energy raced through the man, his skin changing color from the influx of magic. A roar of agony pierced the air as Zero burst into a pillar of light. The sky came alive, the pillar piercing the heavens. Slowly fading out, the Element of Magic floated in Twilight’s hand. A cacophony of noise caught her ear, each of the corrupted students falling over as the cursed magic left them.
Twilight almost dropped it in her rush to Wyatt’s side. “You idiot!” she berated, her armor vanishing. “He could have mortally wounded you!”
“It seemed like a good idea in the moment,” Wyatt offered, holding his side as his own armor faded. “I think he avoided all my organs. Nicked the side of my liver at worst.”
Placing her hand over his wound, Twilight called upon just a bit of the Element’s magic. Soft light radiated from her hand, killing Wyatt’s pain. When she pulled her hand back, the only remnants of the injury was blood.
“That feels so much better,” he said, letting his hands drift to hers. “I’m still in trouble, aren’t I?”
“As long as you're okay, it doesn’t matter.” Taking his hand, Twilight pulled him to his feet. “I’ll need a new crown though.”
“Sounds like a problem for Future Twilight,” Wyatt joked, sighing in relief. “I think Present Twilight should go home and get some sleep in a Crystal Empire bed. After we talk to a certain ex-demon.”
Twilight had almost forgotten. Stepping away from Wyatt, she stood above the sobbing form of Sunset Shimmer. There was no pride on Sunset’s face, no smug bitterness. Only shame. Kneeling down besides her, Twilight offered her hand.
Sunset’s hand trembled, hesitating between them. “I-I have no idea what to do now. I’m so sorry, Princess Twilight.”
Grasping Sunset’s hand, Twilight gave it a squeeze. Words were already pouring out of Twilight’s mouth. “You let bitterness twist you, Sunset. Was your time here really so bad? I saw that flinch before. Someone here cares about you.”
"It doesn't matter now," Sunset replied, hanging her head. "I ruined everything and burned all my bridges in both worlds."
Brining Sunset to her feet, Twilight sighed. “You can come back with us, if that’s what you truly want.” Turning back to her friends, she searched their faces. “Or you could stay, if you want to make amends.”
"Make amends? How would I even begin to do that after all I've done?"
Guiding Sunset forward, Twilight stood before the others. “Girls, I can’t ask you to be Sunset’s friend. However, I will ask that you give her a chance. Let her have a chance to change for the better.”
"Easy peasy!" Pinkie chirped, giving Twilight a thumb's up. "After everything you've done for us, we owe ya one! Two if you count making us superheroes separately!"
“If she’s actually sorry, Ah don’t see nothin’ wrong with that.” Aj nodded, tipping her hat back.
The others agreed, Rainbow reluctantly joining in. Smiling, Twilight turned away. “It’s up to you, Sunset. Friendship is the real magic, you only have to embrace it.”
Leaving Sunset to her thoughts and hopefully her new friends, Twilight stood in front of the other riders. “And now we can finally head back home.”
“You sure?” Spike asked, motioning to the school. “I heard a few students saying the Formal was still on. Might be a good wind down.”
“Are you saying that because there’s a certain someone you want to dance with again?” Wyatt questioned, nudging the other boy in the side.
“Yeah, I’m going back.” Plucking the Element of Magic from Twilight, Daring strode to the statue. “I’ve gone long enough without my wings. Sides’, pretty sure this shouldn’t be here anymore.” Vanishing through the portal, she left them to their devices.
“One more dance?” Wyatt asked, extending a hand to Twilight.
She took it without hesitation, pulling him to her. “I think we have time for one more dance.”
When the evening was finally over, the trio finally walked through the statue. Spike stayed behind for a while longer, enjoying the night with Lily Moon. “I have to go back, Lily. I wish I could stay a little longer but the portal's going to close soon.”
"I get it," Lily said, her ruined dress replaced by a spare set of gym clothes. "Can't keep a hero from doing his job."
“That doesn’t make it easy,” Spike responded, holding her hands. “You have no idea how happy I am that I didn’t hurt you.”
"Same," she agreed. "Being possessed by magic was weird. And not the cool kind. So, was I a dragon?”
Shaking his head, Spike pat her forehead. “No, you are a unicorn. I think it’s a good fit.”
"Unicorn huh? If I ever get to visit I'll have to learn some not evil magic," Lily said, leaving a hand on her forehead. Considering him for a moment, she darted her head in. Pressing her lips against his, she allowed them both to savor the moment. “Come back, okay? Ideally before I graduate.”
"When things calm down, I promise I'll visit," he assured, a dopey look on his face. "And maybe I'll talk to Twilight about letting you see our world."
Nodding her head, Lily glanced at the statue. “You should head back.”
Sighing, Spike pulled away from her and turned to the statue. "Yeah, as much fun as being stuck here with you would be, I've got things I need to do." With that, he stepped into the portal.
Emerging back in the Crystal Palace, it became clear that seemingly no time had passed at all. With the exclusion of Daring, everyone seemed to be wearing the same clothes they had before.
“So uh, how long were we gone from your point of view?” Wyatt asked, subtly checking to make sure he was back to normal.
“Starswirl never truly worked accounted for temporal mechanics, in regards to these mirrors,” Celestia dismissed, the Element hovering in her hands. “Though, I think we can rectify our own misdesigns. The Element of Magic shall be kept with its companions from now on.”
“That’s fine by me,” Twilight replied, nodding to her mentor. “I think I’ll live without a crown for a while.”
Embracing Twilight, Celestia nuzzled the top of her head. “Thank you, for helping Sunset. That means a lot to me. And, it humbles me, to see you spreading the very lessons you used to write to me.”
“I’d make for a poor Princess of Friendship if I ignored someone that needed friends like she did. I think she’s in good hands.”
The rest of the night was spent regaling everyone with what had transpired on the other side of the mirror. When the other versions of themselves were mentioned, there was no end to the questions.
Despite losing her crown, Twilight knew she'd kept what was most important. If being in another world couldn't sever the bonds of her friendship, what could?
Helghan was a miserable planet. Consisting of rock and mineral, inhabited by what Midnight had come to know as space nazis. Said space nazis however, had turned their world's meager resources into powerful weapons. Drop an offer for more in a dictator’s ear, and they were more than willing to share.
Stahl Arms had been offered up on a platter, anything to advance the Helghast agenda. If it were up to her, she'd glass the planet and it’s population with it. Instead, she had to play nice with them.
"This is Apollo’s job," she muttered to herself. "This should've gone to him." At least it was away from the rest of Dai-Shocker. What she had to discuss with Somber didn’t need to spread to the rest of the organization.
A rift opened in front of her, Somber stepping through. Instead of his usual armor he was wearing a military dress uniform. His expression was hard to read, but softened ever so slightly when he saw Midnight. "It's not like you to call me out of my castle. Especially to what can only be generously called a hellhole."
“Thank you for coming, Great Leader.” Bowing her head, she signed quickly with her hands One moment. Placing a device on her work desk, a chirp heralded its awakening. “That will knock out Stahl’s surveillance for a few moments.”
"This must be important if you're going to such lengths," Somber commented, taking a seat. "You certainly know how to pique my curiosity."
Placing a case on the table, she slid it across. “Using Ambassador Hell’s remains I was able to create those, a set of Shocker medals. Fully capable of making our own OOO.”
"Excellent, I knew I could trust you with this task." Opening the case, Somber examined the three medals.
Clearing her throat, Midnight reached into her coat. “Great Leader, you’ve put a lot of effort into the Decade project. To be honest, I’ve had a few misgivings in just how many of our resources you’ve poured into it without a contingency plan.”
"I had a contingency plan, but it was stolen," the stallion admitted, picking up one of the coins.
“Which is why I took the liberty of setting a new one in place.” She placed another pair of medals on the table. Ignoring her fear response, Midnight pushed her glasses up. “I implanted a blank coin into each of the original Dai-Shocker generals. Marshal Armor’s death created the Destron medal, as did Zero’s create the Garanda medal.”
Somber laughed, flipping the coin back into its nook and closing the case. "So you plan to turn the death of our generals into our greatest weapon. Oh that is just perfect. Your mind is a beautiful thing."
Bowing her head again, Midnight put on a blush. “Thank you, Great Leader. If and when they fall, to Wyatt or some other force, they will contribute to your power. And should all of them be destroyed, I assure you, you will surpass Decade.”
"Oh? So your projections put these medals in the realm of destroying planets once complete?" Somber asked, patting the case.
“I’d have nothing to compare it to,” Midnight admitted. “There’s no way to be sure until the set is completed.”
"Let us hope it doesn't come to that. My goal for now remains resolute. You can return to your personal projects for now but keep an eye on these medals. And obviously, not a word to the generals about them."
“Yes my lord,” Midnight affirmed, lifting her head up.
Standing up, Somber went through a new rift. With her leader gone, Midnight was left with nothing but her thoughts once more. Hiding the medals away, she returned to her work. There had to be something here that would help her brother. She’d find it, space nazis be damned.